RAPHINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Raphina Austin, is a small town girl from northeast Texas, who followed her dreams all the way from Sulphur Springs to Austin and beyond. Raphina grew up a tomboy and kept active following behind her three older brothers, who loved sports. Although, she followed her passions in sports, cheerleading and dance, she also won student academic awards and was class president. She was smart and athletic, brains and beauty, a rare combination of blessings.
Natural talent and attention seeker from birth, by age 10, Raphina was assisting her dance teacher, as well as creating the choreography for the local musicals. A couple of years later her talent was blossoming, as she toured Texas with the hip-hop dancer Gio, who was the hottest choreographer/dancer working with Britney Spears and NSYNC, just to name drop a few. It was a big step for her little shoes, and she shined. She was unstoppable.
Raphina also tried modeling, easily winning several beauty queen crowns but she knew deep down that dancing was her passion. A couple of years later, at still baby age of 14, she was the youngest Jr. Dallas Maverick Dancer and she loved it. The drive to do even more with inside her and she made her mark and cut her teeth everywhere that she could get a gig. She performed all across the globe from cruise ships to theme parks and national competitions. Everyone knew when Raphina was dancing, that she was in her element.
At the young age of 21 she became a mother to a beautiful son. It changed her career path because now she needed to stay close to him. Life was rough, so she left dancing and singing to focus on being a full time mom. But her life was not easy and it spiraled downward. A divorce soon side tracked her, an injury left her unable to walk for almost a full year. Then unemployment took an even bigger hit. Years of being on top now seemed like she had gone as far as she could go. It all started taking its toll. She hit bottom hard.
Raphina’s fans and supporters did not understand why she was not creating music but stood by her as she found her footings as a model. She still was working hard but at least she was having fun again. Raphina was soaring again and making people smile. Her best self was living her dreams, without limits, and hearing her fans tell her that her performance made their day. Each day she lived her dreams and followed her heart.
.
Modeling for QVC for Jonathan Paul Eyewear lead to more clients that included: Ladies n Gents Salon Hair, Barbar, Friendslenz and others. And then runway modeling gave her a stage to designers like David Tutera, Bianca Golden and Johnathan Kayne. For a short while she was the spokes model First Line Brand, the largest urban hair care company in the US. And she toured with the cast of "Cheaper to Keep Her" with headliners like Vivica Fox, Brian McKnight and producer brothers Gary and Je’Caryous Johnson. Success was flowing freely, again.
But success will not be going to her head, as her son helps keep her level headed. He is the key to her balancing act. She often brings him to the set or back stage, so that he can watch his mother and see how it all comes together behind the scenes.
Although, he is doesn’t tell his mom that she is cool, he does tell her that he is proud of her. And that is the best music to her ears.
Asked what her motto is, Raphina states “Live your dream! It is the best way to be free. It might be hard but it's will drive you to what you are seeking.”
You go girl!